The Washington critic., 1887-01-28
TIE POSTAL TELEGRAPH.

THE POSTAL TELEGRAPu.
The transmission of communications
by telegraph differs from the transmits.
sion of the same communications by
mail only in the element of time, so far
ms practical results are concerned. The
object in each case is to send or 10 re.
quest information. We correspond by
wire under circumstances requiring
prompt dispatch when no such urgency
exists we correspond by letter Bu.
there is a vast difference in the two
methods of transmission, the one being
wholly under the control of private
enterprise and the other operated by
the General Government exclusively,
Why may not the General Government
manage both
The mail service OF the United states
is Justly tbs wonder and pride of the
century. Considering The immense
distances to he covered, the large num.
Ier Of remote and scattered points TO be
reached, the difficulties and dangers to
be overcome In thinly populated areas
there is no system like 1t in the world
none that so nearly approaches per-
fection In the admirable th)roughness
of It's details
The delays and errors that sometimes
occur In its administration are insig.
niiicaut as compared with its trium.
phaut success as whole. The man
who posts a letter does so with a conf
dence amounting to a moral certainty
that 1t will reach its destination in
safety and on time. If valuable let
ter, as sometimes, but very seldom
happens, is broken open and its con.
tents pilfered the robber is invariably
hunted down and convicted of his
crime.
Should the proposition be made TO
the people of this country to take the
transportation of the mails ont of the
hands of the Government and entrust
It to individual contractors, 1t would
scarcely receive a second. 1t would be
impossible to devise a substitute for the
present system that would answer the
same purpose to such universal salts
faction, in point of efficiency, cheap
ness and security.
Why then, as suggested above, may
not the Government be entrusted with
the transmission of the voluminous
correspondence of the country which
commercial and other necessities re-
quire to be done by telegraph? Why
might not the same benefits be realized
by the public in this case as have been
SO incoatestably demonstrated in the
mail service?
There is rapidly growing sentiment
that the innovation can be proitably
undertaken, and the Postal Telegraph
Lii reported yesterday to the Senate
may be regarded as stepping stone in
that direction. This bill provides that
the Postmaster General shall establish
Geographic service by contract with
existing companies, and at a schedule
of rates which, while materially re.
duciug the current charges for or.
dinary messages and picss news, shall
at the same time compensate the com.
panies for the service rendered.
TO the extent that such contracts are
entered into, although the companies
still retain control of their own lines,
will the present monopolcs be broken
in upon and the public measurably re.
lieved of the burdens 1t is now required
10 bear. The bill further contemplate'
the gradual purchase of existing line;
and franchises and their ultimate alb
sorp,ion under one general system, like
the PostOtlice Department, owned ant
operated solely by the Government,
The revolution herein indicated may
never take place. 1t is regarded II
some quarters as tending to an undue
GENERALIZATION Of power, though why
Capitalization is to be feared any more
in the sending of kilograms than in til,
carrying of letters, is not plain to see
Tie objection Is illogical But the eX
perimental venture proposed in the bill
can be safely made, 1t is only by tria
that the real merits Of the change CaI
be satisfactorily determined.